After spending some time with it, I reached out to the mod’s project lead Tim – who doesn’t wish to share his surname – over Discord to find out more about the game’s community and the mod. The base pitch of the mod is that it introduces characters and locales from the films while balancing the gameplay with more delicate tweaks. I’ve been playing Movie Battles II over the past month as Star Wars Rise of Skywalker neared. One of the things that has kept the game going for so long is its modding scene. A testament to the game’s combat is the myriad of dedicated duelists who still take to Jedi Academy to pit their skills against each other even today. There’s a steep learning curve, but a deep and rewarding combat system waits beyond should you stick with it. The thing is though, Jedi Academy’s saber-dueling mechanics have never been matched in the years since. I never did meet the real Jedi Knight, but I won’t forget the day I nearly tarnished his legend. Robbed of any glory he might have earnt, the Sith leaves me to swish my lightsaber around as if I were summoning a more refined duelist with a wand. After a short scuffle, the truth becomes apparent, and the disgruntled Sith departs the ring as others dissipate. The Sith accelerates through heavy, light, and medium stances to land blows that are either slow but devastating or swift yet piercing. Others gather around the rim, turning the noble bout into some interstellar fight club. We shuffle to a nearby landing pad on the map as it provides an adequate spot to pit lightsaber against lightsaber. I am not they, but I accept the challenge out of an awkward panic. They mistake me for another combatant called Jedi Knight, who has a reputation as an exceptional fighter. Before I can learn the difference between the heavy and light stances, an eager Sith challenges me to a duel. As abler duelists hone their craft in one-on-one bouts, I flail around in the corner as if I were trying to record a classic YouTube video.

The most popular mode proves to be Free-for-All with the lightsaber-only option on – so in I go.

Jedi Academy has a selection of multiplayer modes, from Capture the Flag to an attack and defence game called Siege. After getting Jedi Academy for Christmas, following its release in 2003, I was so eager to dive in I never bothered to check if I spelt my username, Jedi Kight, correctly – nor did I bother to think of a better one. I know this, as one of the first things I did in the game was to annoy one. When it comes to the art and honour of lightsaber duelling, you’ll find fewer players more dedicated than Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy’s various Jedi and Sith.

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